Profile
Kemu Reimei
Design Notes
5'8. She has two little black horns on her head.
There's a big scar on one of her ankles.
Smoke/soot appears when she's nervous, frustrated, or bashful.
Likes
Jazz
Miso
Fashion
Singing
Commissioning art
Dislikes
Mosquitoes
Coffee
Tobacco smoke
Fish
Trickery
Greatest Strength
Kemu is a very headstrong person whose composure doesn't fall after a threat, able to continue doing things casually. Because of this it can be difficult to figure out her weaknesses.
Greatest Weakness
While it might look like a small dislike, she's got a sensitive nose so being in a space with a strong smell she dislikes can distract or overwhelm her.
Singing
She sings during festivals and in restaraunts for a living, putting on smoke shows as well. She has a great sense of pitch and voice control as a singer, her voice described as soothing overall.
Flower arrangement
Frankly this is a newer hobby of hers, just because she likes picking how things look. She's still learning how to get better at it.
Danmaku
If she was in a game, she would be considered a stage 4 boss. She could be stronger with more experience, but she prefers not to fight in general as her clothes get caught on things.
Positive Traits
Coming from the underground, Kemu is an easily interested person who's open to new things, and enjoys being a listener in conversations. Her lack of experience of the surface and plethora of questions may make her seem curious or childish, but she evens it out wth her vast knowledge of other areas of Gensokyo.
Neutral Traits
Kemu has a personality that's too easygoing, calm enough to not instigate fights, but she is sometimes mistaken as someone uncaring and rude because of her lack of reactions. She's someone who speaks more in her mind than in conversations-- so a Satori would label her a chatterbox.
Negative Traits
While it's unintended, Kemu's high maintenence habits can be a lot to keep up with if not used to her; she'll take frequent breaks, complain about the weather often, be particular about messes and point out stains on others. It's courtesial but can be taken rudely.
Others' Perception
Loved Ones
Those dear to Kemu can count on her as a reliable figure, knowing she's careful with things entrusted to her. They find her quirks endearing and distingishable, Marmoris especially.
Strangers
Her appearance stands out to strangers, her large hat the most on the surface. Due to the underground having onis and all other kinds of youkais, she actually blends in there easily.
Enemies
She's interpreted as standoff-ish and rude when she doesn't let anything touch her, but she's just got a bad habit of leaving soot on things.
During her childhood, Kemu was used to living in different households, being a sole youkai girl without any family since her creation. Youkais in general stuck together and supported one another (when not brawling), especially those in Former Hell when scorned by those above. Kemu enjoyed her sheltered life for the most part, comfortable in a rowdy place, but there wasn't anyone she felt particularly close to.
She had more than one parental figure growing up, many acquaintances who'd see her as a sisterly figure, but she always kept a level of distance between them. For as long as she could remember, Kemu would leave soot behind when touching things with her hands. One caretaker gifted her a pair of gloves, but she'd outgrow them and continue getting more as she grew up. Her attention to not making a mess left her wary of touching other's things as well as her own in fear of tarnishing, and it reflected in her neat and meticulous personality. Cont.
Acknowledged as a freelance singer in Former Hell, Kemu spends her days singing and keeping to herself most of the time. Recently she's gotten into flower arrangement as a hobby, knowing she has the long lifespan of a youkai to perfect her abilities. While she wouldn't dare to visit Gensokyo's surface on her own, when she one day met a certain Tengu, heading to the surface became a new fixation for her.
During one of Former Hell's many festivals, rowdy and rushing as usual, Kemu decided to rest after a stage performance earlier that day. Having caught the eye of a visiting Tengu from above, Marmoris, she was asked to show her around Former Hell as it was her first time underground. Piquing Kemu's curiousity when she noticed the tengu searching for a quiet space, rare given where they were, Kemu asked if she wanted to leave the festival as well when she had been singing. Marmoris admitted she liked the quiet so she can work properly, but Kemu's voice was a sound she'd like to hear leisurely. Cont.
Familiar with many more sceneries than before, Kemu continues to sing at more gatherings when prompted, often praised for the work she does. Still having a terrible eye for color combinations and flower arrangements, she sends bouquets to her favorite Tengu every so often. When they don't plan trips to see one another, they communicate by letters and spontaneously mailed gifts, although sometimes Marmoris doesn't receive anything back when she sends Kemu a letter critiquing her bouqet choices.
Sometimes they'll spend months with one another, not having concrete schedules for their work, or very financially demanding lives, and sometimes they don't visit for months. There are a few occasions where trips to surprise one another overlap and they visit the other's empty homes, but they always meet midway and laugh about it. It's easier for Marmoris to see Kemu underground, since Gensokyo's weather varies terribly depending on the latest incident. Cont.
∙ She commissions art from others because she is a horrible artist. Rather than portraits she collects paintings and dioramas of sceneries she's never seen in person.
∙ She's sort of quiet, more of a listener in conversations, but becomes extra quiet if she wants something.
∙ She tires as easily as an exasperated victorian lady.
∙ She has multiple impractical hidden talents; perfect aim when tossing something, wild coordination skills, rakugo, talking backwards.
∙ Her fears are being pulled along by crowds, swallowing her pride, and her biggest may be her ommetophia. Eye contact is fine but her eyes water or she's queasy at eye injuries and illnesses.
Close Box
Of course, she'd wish that she could touch many things without a barrier. She loved feeling soft things, feeling textures, feeling details. One thing she didn't know she was missing was physical connections with others; when was the last time she'd hugged someone, held a hand even? Since she wasn't conscious of the experience, she just continued as is, and obtained affirmation through her endeavors and hobbies. A favorite past time of Kemu's was singing. The beauty of it was that she could do it herself, alone, or it was her way of harmonizing with the presence of someone else's. To her, it was one way to feel a connection. Her voice had always been pleasant enough when speaking, soft spoken and silken, but singing let her voice become more impactful and noticeable. Early into her childhood, she'd settled on the idea of becoming a singer.
Close Box
Allowing the tengu to stay in her home during her trip to the underground, the two shared stories of their vastly different homes. Marmoris was an editor from above, an evidently proud tengu with large wings, but getting to know Kemu seemed to humble her; in comparison, she knew nothing of the "renowned" tengus, and was curious about the mundane life of those from the surface. Charmed by her interest, Marmoris figured it'd be a good idea to thank her for the tour with one of her own. No matter how many times Kemu had been in the glare of danmaku, she had trouble adjusting to the brightness of Gensokyo-- still, it was more lovely than illustrated in her collection of paintings. She wasn't able to get a thorough walkthrough in one trip of course, but in her time with Marmoris, the two became enamoured with one another. It was subtle briefly, but soon enough they'd become starcrossed long distance lovers watching the other's successes through the years. One particular memory that Kemu recounts from time to time is when she had misplaced her gloves. While she hoped she wouldn't trouble Marmoris with the smoke she'd create, Marmoris assured her that she wouldn't mind it. Of course, flustering her instigated the smoke emission, so their early relationship was full of coughing and frequent trips to do laundry...
Close Box
Since they both tend to be out and about usually, they fear running into the Hakurei shrine maiden, so living together sounds like a good idea in theory. Still, they also adore sightseeing mutually, so it's an idea they've put off for at least 100 years. Personally, Kemu doesn't mind it if she can collect love letters and souvenirs from above, and the distance frankly makes every surprise of each day all the more pleasant.
Close Box
Kaerou
Fuji Kaze (music box)
Comments